1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to seamless knit tubular blanks for use in forming a body garment and more particularly to a panty garment and method of forming same wherein front and rear panty sections utilize different stitch loop constructions to create firmer support and greater vertical stretch in the rear portion as compared to the front portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is generally known to fashion knit garments by a change in stitch construction to accomplish various forms of figure fit. This can be done by knitting two circular tubes that can subsequently be joined to form a nether garment and by either tapering the tubular members during the knitting process or cutting and sewing them thereafter to accomplish such fit characteristics. It is also known to form various kinds of foundation garments by cutting and sewing more substantial stretchable fabric into finished garments. In the cut and sew operation, greater fit is achievable than has normally been the case with developing tubular members on circular knitting machines.
On occasion, nether garments formed from a pair of tubular knitted members have been provided with some shaping and stretching characteristics by a change in knitted structure during the knitting operation of the individual tubes. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,812 disclosing a panty garment where the panty is knitted with less courses at its lateral portions than at its front and rear portions so as to cause the lateral portions to be drawn together wale-wise so that the lower ends of the lateral portions will be above the crotch of the garment.
For the most part, combining a foundation type garment with a panty hose garment that can be shaped during the knitting process to the human form has not been done extensively. It is to that desirable objective that the present invention is directed.